Follow This?

A random list of 10, in no paticular order, about no particular thang... an update of sorts!

1. Home school.  We are fans!  I sometimes worry it's too easy?, but then I remind myself it is kindergarten, and relax.  O is finishing up 100 Lessons to Read and reading like a pro.  We included this in addition to MFW, and really, it would have been too easy without the daily reading challenge.  She truly loves books.  She loves them so much that she almost always opens up a book and smells it first, especially encyclopedias.  A sure sign of a lover-of-books, if you ask me.

In the last few weeks, I initiated a new practice of giving her a "star" or "check mark" for her overall work in home school for that day.  We just mark it on our dry erase calendar on our fridge, so Daddy can see how she did when he gets home from work; it is wonderful for accountability.  We try not to take ourselves too seriously, and have fun with school {something my cousin, Angie taught me}.  They think it is a riot that they have to take a "bathroom pass" when they need to go potty, and always ask me to stop them in the hallway to "ask for their pass".  We play other silly games like eatting birthday treats that another mother I brought for the class.  Little nuts!  They are bound to end up "weird" home school kids.

2. David is a really good drummer.  He's also my favorite singer {he's sexy like that}.  Peyton loves his new drum from Christmas, so Daddy's been showing him the ropes beat.

3. I got around to making these fun, dramatic bows for Olivia.  You know me, I couldn't make just one, it had to be a whole table full of 'em.  Why go to the trouble for one, right?  You've probably noticed her wearing them in almost every picture!

Looking like Minnie in polka dots

4. I also got 'round to making these soap dispensers.  I've contemplated selling them as the "other bathroom thing" in the shop, but I don't know if I can part with the old jars!  They are so cool!

I am keeping them next to my kitchen sink, the smaller one for hand soap and the bigger for dish soap.

5. This is a picture of my Dad on their 10th wedding anniversary in Hawaii {hanging on my parent's fridge right now for some reason:)}.  David and I will be celebrating our 10th next month; what the heck?!  It is a little unbelievable.  

6. I love this girl!  She has so much personality and heart, and sugar and spice!  She is 15 months now!  She is walking, running, climbing, and doing everything she can to keep up with her older siblings.  Her forehead is a constant bruise to prove it. 

7. The church is putting together a two year bible memorizaiton plan.  So excited!
8. We ordered our home school curriculum for next year!  My Father's World has sales running in February and cheap shipping, so we took dvantage of the lower prices.  Can't wait to get it!
9. I love that our days are scheduled around barn chores.  It seems right and good. 
10. I also love that I get to teach my kids how to ride.  Wait, teaching my kids to ride?  Carazy!

They are usually chomping at the bit {pun intended} to do barn chores... this is how they showed up to breakfast on Saturday.

Give Thanks in Everything!  Amen.

Over and Out

What's for Dinner?

He is! 

That's right, meet Mr. Black Angus Steer.  He looks mean, and believe me, he is!  We have been doing our best to win him over, but it is slow going.  David was shocked at the price of beef when picking up some groceries for the Super Bowl, and thus it began.  This is our first time raising our own beef, but thankfully my parents used to run cattle, so we have their expertise to fall back on.  We've been doing our own fair amount of research, too.  There is actually a LOT to know.  You have to calculate rations, how you want to finish them, percentages of protein and so forth.  I had no idea. 

 In the meantime, we will be feeding him.  This is only half of the grain he'll eat between now and June.

 Sorry for the blurry pics, I had a baby on the hip, and attempting to zoom in on the hay loft.

The guys bucking hay.

 Hay hooks- don't they look menacing?

I have always loved the smell of grain covered with sweet molasses.  I have to restrain myself from eating a bite, but I'm pretty sure I tried it as a kid!

 phone pictures

Our next livestock adventure is visiting the neightbors 100 piglets!  The farmer said we could come for a visit as soon as the little nuts are over their colds. 

Farm in Febuary

It has been a while since I posted pictures of the farm, so I tromped around in the mud, making my boots even more filthy before ballet, to capture a little of what is going on this time of year.

Nothing breathtaking, but it is an update anyway!

The blueberries trimmed.  This is their main trimming for the year.

The guys {my brothers, Amos, Dan} do a lot of shop work in the winter servicing equipment.

There is also a fair amount of office work to catch up on.

My Dad

and his hat

We get a little extra rest- what they were doing while I was taking the pictures. 

Fields to spray

Dancing- remember she was the only girl in the class?

Now look!

They just had a little dance fundraiser and it was so 'dorable!

My brother, Daniel, stealing our thunder, but better he than a backside. :)

Muddy horses

Cutest cheeks ever

Hooray for a Basement!

We are so thankful for this new area! 

The basement runs the length of the house, so it was a big undertaking, but well worth it.  We had to move everything {I can't believe how much stuff we have/had!}, so I took the opportunity to do some major cleaning out and organizing.  You can get on a roll, as I've been working on the girl's room now, but will finish before the weather changes and we are outside again!

  I forgot to take "before" pictures, but I did get some "in progress" shots.

David and my Dad had the idea of widening the openings to the room to help with airflow for our wood heat.  Previously, the openings were the size of a standard door.

The opening was the size of the storage room door in the picture.

This is the area "before/in progress" that is now our home school room

In progress shot of the main room

The other opening to the bedrooms widened

guestroom before:

sewing room before:

After pictures:

This is a fake terrarium I made for a cool shelf David built at the bottom of the stairs.  No maintenance... yes!

Home school room

I used my Christmas money to buy some shelves at Ikea and also borrowed items from the house to decorate/furnish/organize.

We made/printed some artwork for this wall {with the exception of the blue print from Jones Design Co.}.

I sold a couple rugs from our old house and got the one below from Overstock.

The floors turned out really pretty!

 Peyton enjoys cutting and serving food to us during school.

 I'll think I'll cover a canvas frame I have with fun fabric for between the windows or borrow my sister's idea and print a big horse onto fabric?? 

I'm still working on the office area, but I did borrow a few frames from Peyton's room for some blueberry inspiration {he has been the chief donor for the basement}.

 I'd like to make a shelf for above the desk.  I have the brackets- just need to cut down one of our boards.

Sewing room

My sister and I did some horse trading and she painted the white stripes!  I love them, Leah!

I may change things up a bit, but I wanted to quickly put together a spot to work.

Treasures from Grammy {David's Grandma} in the shadow boxes

Guest bedroom- in progress, but much cozier! :)

OK, that's it for our little basement tour!  Didn't my husband do the best job?! 

Happy Weekend Friends!

P.S. Thank you, thank you for all your kind words about our miscarriage.  We were so blessed and grateful for you!